Entertainment and Sports

Change

A smile, sometimes, is a pebble tossed into a pond needing change.

By Kevin Somers
Published June 10, 2010

Change is more certain than taxes, but dependable as death. Everything is always changing.

You're changing. I'm changing. What, who, why, and how I change, make change, affect change, spare change, and react to change will change my fate, forever. Positive change, therefore, is always in order.

Obviously, I can't change some things, like ear-hair, gas prices, or earthquakes, but I can change my behaviour. I can change how I greet and treat everyone I encounter. I can change a moment, simply by being nice. A smile, sometimes, is a pebble tossed into a pond needing change.

Change my attitude, change your life. Change your attitude, change my life. Change your attitude, change your life. Change my attitude, change my life.

Personal change starts and finishes with me, without question. Doctors Joy, Phil, Oz, Drew et al. sell slick slogans, systems, and sound bites, but in the end, I'm stuck with myself. If I want change, or if I want to change, it's up to me.

Oprah's got troubles of her own. As her fluctuating weight and gossip-fodder personal life demonstrate, quick fixes don't work because permanent change is real work, everlasting.

Fortunately, change can be easy. Change can be fun. Badminton, ping-pong, swimming, curling, yoga, reading, writing, and walking, for example, are just as entertaining as snacking while watching TV, but better for body and spirit.

Unfortunately, change can be unpleasant. Because I don't always like what I see, I hate self-scrutiny, but I have to look at myself if I want change. Fortunately, the opportunity to change is in perpetuity, so I have until my last breath to get perfect, which is the goal. My tombstone, urn, or E-morial will read: He Lived. He Changed. He Died. Perfect.

Wordplay is fun. That'll never change.

Change is handy, especially for parking meters and the dispossessed. I always empty my pockets of change when homeless have their hand out. Sparing spare change won't change my life, but it could change an hour of someone else's. So what if they buy booze? Even if it's temporary, they're pitiably desperate for change. Who am I to judge?

I used to be a cynical, cold conservative, but I've changed a little bit.

"Change" is a great song by Tears For Fears, one of several '80s bands that tried to change the world with problem-solving music. "Changes One" by David Bowie is a great album.

Few say "album" anymore. Things change.

Sometimes, when using Spell Check, I hit "Change" erroneously: not positive.

I wash and change my clothes regularly, but I scarcely replace them: hobo chic. That won't change. Frugality has been bred into my bones. Mother, also known as Grandma, was raised on a farm on PEI and travelled mostly by foot, tractor, or horse until a teenager. While growing up, she often warned us, "In case you're in a car accident, change your underwear."

Sound advice: I still drive cautiously and change drawers frequently.

I won't change because I'm told to change, however. That's for sheep. I won't change for change's sake. That's for sure.

I change my mind regularly. It's a sign of intelligence. If I hear, read, or see an opinion or method that might be better than mine, I'm open to change. Only an idiot wouldn't be. It's evolution.

Speaking of stalled evolution, I wonder if Sarah Palin has changed her mantra. Given the Gulf, does the devil still have the courage to continue squealing, "Drill, baby, Drill," like a diseased idiot?

Not just because we're running out, but humans have to drastically change our relationship with oil. Proof is in the pollution.

Contrary to well-guarded, nurturing, nourishing belief, the status quo is always fallible and subject to change.

It's time to change how things and people move. Car-centric Hamilton is overdue for change. Bike lanes are easy, LRT slightly more complicated, but easy, as well, in the right hands. I'm sure there are lots of engineers (or is it architects?) in town who would love to put in a groovy train on time and under budget.

Highways are highways and streets are streets. Despite the right's rhetoric, that hasn't changed. I'm a proud NIMBY: I don't want unnecessary (big) trucks, streetwalkers, or crack houses in my hood.

Trucking industry shills and fancy, idiotic, poorly written studies won't change that. I never paid attention, but nothing changed me like having children.

Sometimes, I positively love change.

I wrote a poem about love and children and change. It's exactly fifty words, for a change. It's called, Love Change.

Love Change

Million of messages were exchanged
Life's sacred schedules were rearranged
Our daughters came and they took over
And all our precious plans were changed

For all of China's Chinese tea
For all the sea-salt in the sea
I wouldn't change my beautiful girls
And I'm sure they wouldn't change me

Kevin Somers is a Hamilton writer.

4 Comments

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[ - ]

By simonge (registered) | Posted June 12, 2010 at 11:19:44

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

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[ - ]

By TheCool (anonymous) | Posted June 19, 2010 at 15:42:58

Every article I've ready by Sommers is trash man...Why do you insist on just sucking so damn much? Hahaha, I laugh at everything you read, so much so...that it almost makes me happy. Well Kev-dawg, you make me happy by being so....trash.

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[ - ]

By guess (anonymous) | Posted June 23, 2010 at 01:13:44

Sign your name, bitch. Learn how to spell, sissy. Cotract cancer, creep. Die slowly and painfully, as you deserve, coward.

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[ - ]

By cringe (anonymous) | Posted June 23, 2010 at 08:55:50

^I guess "guess" is the sensitive author of this piece.

Ugliness begets more ugliness.

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